Garmin Approach S60 Smartwatch for Golfers

Garmin just announced the Approach S60, its newest GPS golf watch with a sunlight-readable color touchscreen display and sleek new design that’s made for everyday use both on and off the course. Preloaded with more than 40,000 courses from around the world with lifetime updates, the S60 features full-color course view mapping that golfers can view right from their wrist. It provides quick access to critical information needed during a round like precise yardages to greens, hazards and doglegs to help players master their game. With a modern style, the Approach S60 also features the popular QuickFit watchbands that can be easily interchanged in seconds, without tools. They’re available in an assortment of colored silicone, leather or stainless steel styles, and can be interchanged with a number of Garmin multisport watches, including the popular fēnix 5 series.

To add another level of fun and competition, the Approach S60 is one of the many Garmin golf watches compatible with the new Garmin Golf app that lets users compete in weekly leaderboards on any golf course. This free app allows users to compete against friends and fellow golfers on the same course, plus view other players’ rank, score, handicap and more. Players can set up their own tournament event and invite multiple friends to compete, plus they can chat with each other and post their results for others to see. Using the Approach S60, players can also utilize the app for live scoring as they’re playing their round; scores entered on the device will automatically sync to the app for instant updates as they play.

Thanks to the Garmin AutoShot game tracking technology, players can easily review, map and analyze all of their detected shots from each round they play with the Approach S60. It automatically records the location and distance of each detected shot and uploads it to the user’s Garmin Connect™ account for post-round analysis. In addition to seeing how far a shot was, players can also use AutoShot data to compare stats from previous rounds, review distances for each club, and analyze their tendencies as they fine tune their game. The Garmin Connect mobile app can also be used to receive updates to the courses users play the most thanks to the CourseView auto updater, which automatically sends updates to the device.

The Approach S60 also features SwingTempo that measures the relationship between upswing and downswing, and TempoTraining that uses a 3:1 ratio and gives the user vibrations to synchronize their swing mechanics and fine-tune their swing tempo. When paired with the Garmin TruSwing™ sensor, it can also provide the user with swing speed and club path angles to improve their swing consistency.

Additionally, the Approach S60 measures precise distances to the front, back and middle of the green as well as the distance to course targets like sand traps, water hazards, layups and doglegs. Golfers can use the Green View feature to see the outline of the green on each hole, where they can manually position the pin to that day’s location to get the most accurate measurements. Thanks to the new PlaysLike feature, the Approach S60 can also take into account the elevation change between the player and the target and calculates what the distance will play like. For example, if the shot is downhill, PlaysLike will show that the shot will play shorter than it actually is.

Doubling as an all-day activity tracker, the Approach S60 works with the Garmin Connect mobile app to monitor and record daily steps, calories burned, distance and sleep, with move alerts to keep users active throughout the day. It also receives smart notifications from compatible smartphones, so users can stay connected with notifications for call, texts, emails and more right on their watch. What’s more, when paired with the app, the Approach S60 can also provide weather forecast data so players will know if they’re going to stay dry on the course.

The Approach S60 can get up to ten hours of battery life golfing and up to ten days in watch mode with activity tracking. It boasts a 5 ATM water rating, so it can easily withstand a rainstorm.

Price and Availability
The Garmin Approach S60 is expected to be available in June 2017 in black or white for $399.99. A premium version with a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and black leather band will also be available for $499.99.